Some Nigerians Don’t Want To Protest, Respect Them

The Presidency has advised August protest planners to respect other Nigerians who have chosen not to participate in the hunger protest.

Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Digital and New Media, O’tega Ogra said the right to protest against policies of the federal government would be protected along with rights of Nigerians who decide not to participate in the hunger protest.

Ogra said this on Monday on his X handle. He argued that President Tinubu is a listening president who has been working hard to address the economic hardship experienced by the citizens. He added that the hardship experienced in the country is also caused by global crises and not only local policies.

“It is every Nigerian’s constitutional right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression. The Nigerian state also has a constitutional obligation to guarantee every constitutional right of every Nigerian, including free movement, safety, and security.

“It is also the right of hundreds of millions of Nigerians to choose not to join any protests as many have chosen – and all parties must respect this. However, asserting one’s rights should not lead to the denial of another’s.

“If you claim you want to have a peaceful demonstration yet have allowed some actively involved in your protest to use your platform to mobilize people publicly in the name of causing destruction and chaos, you are also responsible for whatever chaos they cause.

“To the protest leaders, can you confidently say you have a grip on the behaviour of those you have sought to join you in the protests? To those who have chosen to join the protests, can you confidently say you are fully aware of the plans—seen and unseen—of those mobilizing you to demonstrate?

“Even worse, if you haven’t come out to openly condemn and dissociate your protest platform from calls for the destruction of regular Nigerians’ livelihood and violence against the Nigerian people and state, it could mean you consent to your protest platform to be used for chaos – directly or indirectly,” he said.

President Tinubu’s aide on Digital and New Media added that the federal government, through its policies, has shown commitment to addressing hardship in the country.

He said, “President Bola Tinubu and the entire Tinubu-Shettima administration are aware of the pains Nigerians are facing due to global economic shocks and local policies that have been put in place to secure a prosperous future for Nigeria.

“Mr President listens—just as he has been listening since Day 1 of his presidency. He has shown a willingness, never seen at this level before, to return to the drawing board where policies may have been unpopular.”

Ogra explained that inflation and security situation have all been moving in a positive direction because of President Tinubu’s policies and resolve to solve the country’s problems.

“We are also seeing the rate of inflation slowing considerably. Families can now breathe a sigh of relief and enjoy more disposable income, thanks to initiatives such as the student loans scheme and credicorp. These programs alleviate the pressure of making immediate bulk payments for everyday expenses.

“Additionally, the P-CNG Initiative is driving down commercial transportation costs by providing free conversion kits, enabling the use of more affordable CNG fuel for commercial vehicles. The number of taxes is being reduced by at least one-fifth, with some out of the way already. Imports of critical food items have been exempt from levies for a period of time. What more?

“On the security front, we have successfully reduced incidents of internal insurrection and kidnappings. Over 5,000 of our fellow Nigerians have secured their freedom, and an impressive number of terrorists and insurgents (over 11,000) have been either neutralized or captured. Our tactical operations will persist until Nigeria is entirely safe.

“His focus is firmly on stabilizing the economy to ensure a secure future for all our children. President Bola Tinubu is resolute, focused on his job, and won’t be swayed,” he added.